Congratulations to our local Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Robotics Team who won Overall Champion, Explorer Class at the MATE International ROV Contest held in Long Beach, CA, USA 23-25 June 1027. They also won an award for Safety Excellence.
Another finalist from the MATE Hong Kong Regional Contest, held in Tsueng Kwan O Swimming Pool in April, Macau Anglican College, won three prizes – Product Presentation champion, Design Elegance award, and Most Valuable Player – Ranger class. Two other Hong Kong teams also competed in the Ranger Class – CMA Secondary School, Shek Kip Mei, and Kwok Tak Seng Catholic Secondary School, Shatin.
The Marine Advanced Technology Education Center (MATE), in Monterey Bay Peninsula College, California, has been organising the International ROV Contest since 2002. The contest has grown to nearly 700 schools, colleges and universities from 15 countries taking part each year. The 2017 International Contest had 65 teams – 25 at Explorer (University) level and 40 at Ranger (High School) level. 25 Regional Contests are held around the planet each year to choose the teams which go on to the International Contests in June. Two other classes of the competition are Navigator (Junior High School) and Scout (Primary), but they don’t compete at International level.
The Hong Kong Regional was started in 2006 by Robin Bradbeer¹, then at City University, and Paul Hodgson, Director of Oceanway Corp., both long time local Sai Kung residents. The Hong Kong Regional was the first outside North America, and became the largest one on the planet until it was split into 3 separate contests this year. Robin is now Asia Regional Coordinator, overseeing the running of two contests in Hong Kong (Explorer/Ranger and Navigator/Scout) and ASEAN Contest, which takes place in Surabaya, Indonesia.
For more information on the MATE Hong Kong regionals, go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/458415307542982
¹Robin is Technical Director of Sai Kung Buzz.
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